Is it shilling if you admit it in the first place? Full disclosure: For those of you who don’t know this already, I work at the International Culinary Center (the French Culinary Institute). What you may not know is that this blog started as an assignment for the pilot class of Food Blogging With Steven Shaw (see the fancy icon on the right).
This class is being offered again this year and will be starting very soon – Thursday, February 18, 2010 (to be exact). The class is held one night a week for 5 weeks. When it’s over, you too will have 5 reasons to be happy you took the class! For more information and to register, click here.
Here are my reasons…
1. Steven Shaw, aka “Teach” – founder of eGullet.org, author of Asian Dining Rules: Essential Strategies for Eating Out at Japanese, Chinese, Southeast Asian, Korean, and Indian Restaurants and Turning the Tables: The Insider’s Guide to Eating Out, and all-around great guy and willing partner in crime for excellent eating adventures!
2. Making new friends – Some of my classmates I knew in advance (we work together) but most I was meeting for the first time. I still see some of them on a regular basis and still read all of their blogs. They continue to inspire and encourage me, as they did from day one. I hope that we will continue to do so for a long time – and I’m hoping for a reunion sometime soon (when the weather is more conducive to wandering)! You can visit some of them at A Thirsty Spirit, Hungry Sofia, Mindy’s Recipe for Disaster, and Historic Cookery.
3. Motivation, inspiration, sympathy, encouragement, compassion, commiseration, real-time feedback, and FCI’s famous baguettes that can only be had here at the school!
4. Technical expertise and support – You don’t need to do it alone. How do you get started? How do you choose a host? A layout/format? A theme? What about using photos and/or video? What about advertising? Why do you not use the term “hits” when referring to your stats? What are stats?? And so much more!
5. A good excuse to eat at L’Ecole on a regular basis – one of the best restaurant deals in NYC just downstairs from your classroom! And did I mention the baguettes?!
Also, if you attend the class, there is a good likelihood of seeing me in person on a regular basis – I’ll be visiting often!